Only In My Sleep
by Blonde Charger
Summary: Pushed by an unknown force, the TARDIS lands on a merchant asteroid belt. Civil war has torn law and order apart. Easy for the Doctor to handle, right? Well, he's a little distracted... Read and review! Rewritten! RoseDoctor fluff! Episode long fic.
1. Chapter 1

Please do not do any of the following:-

-Flame me

-Panic

-Beat me to death with wooden sticks, vowing vengence.

The old 'Only In My Sleep' has been removed. This is because I was not happy with it. **Not** because I'm not going to continue with it. I would **never** abandon my stories! Anyway, the reason why I got rid of it was because I have a shiney new one for you. It's better than the other one, I promise. It may seem like the same one, but its got more stuff in it .:coughthesecondhalfcough:. so please, read and review (again) and tell me what you think of the new one. There were too many mistakes in the old one, plus I forgot to mention things I thought of later. Hope you like, more chapters coming very soon.

Oh! I personally recommend hot chocolate for this chapter. I'm drinking it right now in fact. I also recommend you play 'Collide' by Howie Day, cause I think it fits (the lyrics 'The dawn is breaking, a light shining through. I'm barely waking, and I'm tangled up in you' especially) Trust me on this, this is pure fluff of the highest degree. Quality fluff. I think I may die of fluff poisoning. Can you actually do that? Anyway, I know I sound big headed, bear with me people, I'd like to know what you think. There will definately be another chapter, of equal fluffage. Cross my heart, ;) x3

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Only In My Sleep

The control room of the TARDIS was empty. Completely empty. The gentle buzzing and the occasional blinking light went unnoticed by the Doctor or Rose. Even the main lights had been shut off, and the blue-tinged shadows crept across the iron grating of the floor. The roughly sculpted columns stretched up lazily towards the high ceiling, brushing the deepest shadows as the soothing whirr of the very alive ship kept itself company. If anyone listened carefully, they would hear what the Doctor heard everyday. The TARDIS was breathing. Softly, ever so quietly, the rush and sweep of the mechanical ship inhaled… Then sighed. Of course, to Rose it was just her normal everyday sounds. But to the Doctor… He adored his ship. Usually the Doctor would be here, making final checks on the navigation, life support, even the mass of wires under foot. The Doctor knew where each one fit, exactly, and he knew how to help his ship. The TARDIS looked after herself mostly, and she could fix minor problems easily. But the Doctor took great pride in making sure everything was just so at the end of the day.

But not today. Today he was not chuckling easily over how grimy the switches had become. He was not rearranging the great metal mallet that 'fixed everyfin', as Rose so inaccurately put it. Inaccurate or not, it had made him smile softly as he threw switches and punched in coordinates.

Today, or should I say, tonight, he was sat on his bunk. He'd been there for the last two hours staring at the same spot on the opposite wall, thinking. That day had been… demanding to say the least, even for the Doctor. If he had known what would have happened, he would have never stepped out from the TARDIS. Not ever. The groaning of his ship should have warned him. It had not been 'indigestion'. It had been a warning. By some cruel twist of fate they had been joking about leaving, he remembered now. He should have taken Rose's advice, however sarcastic it was. He would have smiled brightly at Rose and suggested they go somewhere else. If she refused he would distract her with promises of exotic beaches or another world in danger. He would never have let her step out of the safety of the blue box. It hadn't ended in tragedy, he was so grateful for this fact he had blocked out any substitute. If Rose had … An invisible wall loomed up in front of his thoughts, cutting them off mid-sentence. He would never let that happen. He would rather lose his other three lives and become mortal. He would sacrifice his life her. It was as simple as that. He couldn't live with the knowledge he could have saved her and didn't.

A smirk tugged his lips. To think, he had once referred to her kind as 'stupid apes'. Even referred to _her_ as an ape upon occasion. Playfully, yes, but after she took command of the remaining crew and her devotion… She wouldn't leave him. She had shown such courage, just like all the other times…What _right_ did he have to call her that now? He thought savagely, hating himself. He had put her in so much danger.

Why didn't she leave him? What had she been thinking? Did she realise how close that had been? No, it wasn't her fault.

He said he would protect her, save her from anything. He had promised himself a million times… And yet… Recently, he seemed to be helpless when it came to defending her. Too often he had had to rely on chance to save her… But that was what he had always done, and only now did it seem his luck was changing. Not so lucky now. A storm was coming…

_Oh Rose…_

He bent his head into his hands while he sat perched at the end of his bed. The dark warmth of his hands did nothing to calm his self-rage, but he collected himself enough not to break anything. He looked up and stared down at one of them. It surprised him how wonderfully her fingers curled around his. He examined his long, slender fingers. He supposed they were strong, able hands. They had changed. _He_ had changed. Before they were lightly calloused, thicker, stronger. Now they were pale, different, and alien. Just like the rest of him. Yet she still held onto him like he was the only one who could save her. He usually was, but more and more he had begun to feel like their places had swapped round. She was, little by little, day by day, saving him. He still felt the imprint of her fingers on his palm. Her hands were soft, shorter than his own, somehow child like. He could remember the first time he had taken her hand. The memory seared his soul, flashing in front of his eyes.

_Her wide, petrified eyes, framed by long, thick, mascara-covered lashes looked to him in shock. He knew he couldn't leave her. He had to get everyone out of the building, even that foolish girl who had wondered in while an attempted invasion was taking place._

'_Run.'_

Such a small word. He hadn't thought about it particularly. It was a human word like any other. And it had shaken her out of her paralysing fear enough for her to use her suppressed instincts. To grasp his outstretched hand and run as fast as she could.

How did he know it would throw her into his world, catapult her into his new, frightening, exhilarating world. With just one word, he had sparked something too huge, too exasperating… too _fantastic_ than he could imagine.

_Her smile… Her light blonde hair falling around her face… Oh, her _**eyes**. _Just _being_ around her… But, what if that stopped? What would I do then?_

He blinked slowly, still lost in thoughts too dark for the Doctor to bear. She almost… She could have… He could have lost her today. Because of him.

He growled frustratedly in the back of his throat, and stood up. He shook his head distractedly. But she was alive. She was here, safe, on his ship. With him. He took a deep breath. She was with him. And he breathed out, relaxing. Then that creeping cold feeling of suppressed truth awoke. But if she was with him, she would never be safe. Sure, she survived… This time. He went still. The clammy touch of reality fell over him. She could die next time.

It was not a new feeling. He had been pushing it to the back of his head ever since…

Another memory re-surfaced, crashing through the quiet of his mind.

'_I'm so glad I met you.'_

'_Me too.' Her smile, so bright it burned his eyes. He could feel her trembling against him. Felt her fumble for his hand. She wasn't ready for death._

'_But Doctor, will she be safe? Will my Rose always be safe? Can you promise me that?'_ Jackie's voice had chilled him then and still did. She was right. She would never be safe. Then more painful memories…

'_Doctor, I want you to know it wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault…' _He had heard her hysteria rising, her fear, even heard her tears …and… something else. He had felt broken when he heard those words.

And in that moment;

'_I wouldn't have missed it for the _world_…'_ If he had felt broken then, he had almost shattered at hearing her last hurried goodbye.

Then the last word he had heard before jerking the head set off his ear, staring at the wall, eyes gleaming, mind frozen;

'_EXTERMINATE!'_

_The terrible steely cold had clouded his mind. She was gone… Human. Female. Nineteen. Young… so very young. His mind screamed in pain. Rose. He should have protected her… Should have never left her side. His feelings of guilt washed over him, and he could feel the pangs of deep regret, of… How could he have known that then… Even _then_… The first stirrings of affection, devotion, and something deeper he hadn't dared name it._

_But she was alive still. Breathing, warm, soft, alive. _

'_I thought you were dead…'_ _He had breathed, his eyes still shining, mouth open in wonder._

_And he was back in a studio, Rose in hysterics, screaming for him. When she had seen him, she had dashed forwards. Too late he saw a blast of energy somewhere behind her, slicing through the air. He held his arms out to her, planning to snatch her into his embrace then turn and take the shot himself. But she never reached those arms. She… collapsed into dust, a fine powder, right before his eyes. His empty arms still reaching out for her, but too late. They fell to his sides, the numbing cold settling over him, stopping the truth seeping in. She was gone… He had seen her desperate eyes as she pelted to him, crying, his name ripping through the air, the hollow echo of her screams dying as the last particles of dust fell. He dropped to his knees, and looked down at the pile of powder, tracing the particles through with his fingers. The dry sandy ash… Oh Rose_… He would have stayed there for eternity, just trying to… What? He didn't know. He hadn't understood until that second how much she meant to him.

When he saw that she was alive… He had no words. Only that deep feeling of something bigger than his whole being, flooding through him.

He sighed. How could he miss her when she was just in the other room? Even thinking of her, peacefully sleeping, those dark shadows of the past still clung to him, and he could not disperse them.

That was then… The thought still made him shudder. How could he lose her _now_? There had come a time, not long ago, when he almost did. They had been stuck, trapped, on Satellite Five, and he lost himself to the rising tide of emotion within that memory.

He remembered that second when he had decided to save her, send her away. He knew then that he loved her. He couldn't let the Daleks reach the TARDIS, but secondly, much, much more importantly, he wouldn't let them have _her_. He had acted, making sure she believed him. She had to believe him, otherwise she would never go, and she wouldn't let him face them on his own. He knew her well enough to know she would resist. He had to do it like that. Otherwise he could never part with her.

_He began talking, fast, too fast to make sense. He was talking gibberish. He knew that. The sad fact was she didn't. She trusted him. She didn't need to know the whole plan; just being with him was enough. In the spur of the moment he kissed her forehead; she had grinned at him, and giggled. He didn't believe that that was the first time her had kissed her. The last time. His mouth was dry. Could he do this to her? _

_He had sprinted into the TARDIS, knowing she would follow him. She always did. That excited gleam in her eyes and that hopeful smile… He remembered clear as day running out of the TARDIS again. Then stopping, his shoulders dropped, and he slowly turned to face his old friend, his TARDIS. At that moment he reached up, pressed a button on his sonic screwdriver, heard the ever familiar wail as the TARDIS left him, and the last echoing shrieks of Rose as she pummelled the panels of the door, drifting away into silence. _

_He knew what she would have been watching. His last goodbye. The thought of having to say goodbye to Rose made him shiver and the intense need to see her, touch her, know she was still with him almost made his eyes water. His hologram would have flashed up in front of her, and explained everything. _

'_Have a fantastic life…'_

_He had frantically hoped he would never have to activate it. Afterwards, Rose had made him promise to never do that to her again, and he had grinned cheekily at her. But he didn't answer her. He couldn't make that promise. He had to know he had a backup, just in case he wasn't enough._

_He had thought he would never see her again, thought that she was safe, but when he heard that recognisable sound, not quite pleasant, but slightly wonderful, his breath caught. She wouldn't…_

_A thousand questions had raced through his head. How did she-? Why would she-? Did the TARDIS malfunction? Or was she truly here?_

_And she _was_ there. The TARDIS reappeared, the blue doors opened and a blinding golden light spilled and writhed from the doorway. And a silhouette. Her silhouette, breaking through the horrifying light, and when he saw her eyes… He knew what she had done. All fear of pain, danger, death, anything, everything, they all died when he saw her. Tears were streaming down her face, her mascara running, lips trembling and her face was so pale. She had looked into the heart of the TARDIS, and the power, the knowledge was _devouring_ her, _and he couldn't stop it!

The words were heavy on his tongue as he remembered.

'_What have you done?' The bitter regret in his voice stung._

'_I looked into the TARDIS, and the TARDIS looked into me…' Her voice was so weak, he could practically see the force of the TARDIS channelling through her, wearing down her mortal body, breaking her down into raw energy so her body glowed._

'_You looked into the time vortex. Rose, no-one's supposed to see that!'_

'_I am the Bad Wolf.' Her voice had lost all of her child like glee, all emotion, except pain. 'I create myself. I take the words. I scatter them, in time and space. A message to lead myself here.' He cringed at the hitch in her tone. She must be in so much agony._

'_Rose! You've got to stop this; you've got to stop this now! You've got the entire _vortex _runnin' through your head. You're gonna _burn!'

_Suddenly Rose looked at him. No, she looked into him. She smiled faintly, grimly, only her eyes betraying her pain._

'_I want you safe.'_

_He looked up at her, bewildered. She was so precious to him, how could he have let something like this happen?_

'_My doctor…'_

_Something inside him clicked. The feeling of being called _her_ Doctor made him ache. A wave of savage possessiveness washed away all other feelings. There nothing he could do. And it tore him apart._

_But wait… There might be something…_

_He forgot about everything, everyone, except Rose. The Daleks, Satellite Five, everything. Suddenly, he realised what she was doing. Her tear-filled eyes blazed, melting into the centre of a Dalek, and to the Doctor's utmost amazement and horror, the Dalek's atoms divided in a mass of bright sparks. Every Dalek perished. None were left. He didn't know this Rose. The sheer volume of energy flowing through her head had messed with her brain. She no longer seemed like his Rose. This had got to stop, before Rose was eaten up by the time vortex. Her arms stretched out by her sides, an almost sacrificial gesture, and he caught a glimpse of his Rose. She wouldn't let go._

'_Rose, you've done it. Now stop. Just let go!' He urged, knowing it was useless. She could be so determined… So stubborn._

'_How could I give this up? I bring life.' She was dying. Her voice broke with the strain of staying alive, her breathlessness told him that much._

_He couldn't believe what he was hearing._

'_This is wrong! You can't control life and death!' How could she think-_

'_But I can.' The Doctor was horrified. His Rose. She didn't think like this._

'_The sun and the moon.' She continued, 'The day and the night. But why do they _hurt?'

_Agony seeped through her words, and another tear slipped down her damp cheeks. _

_Oh Rose…_

'_The power's gonna _kill_ you and it's all my _fault_.' _

'_I can see _everything_. All that is. All that was. All that ever could be.'_

_Those words broke through his resolve. He could do one thing. Just one. It would hurt, oh yes, it would hurt. But she was worth it. He stood._

'_That's what I see, all the time. And doesn't it just drive you mad?'_

'_My head…' Her voice was so weak he could barely hear her._

_But it didn't matter. He knew what to do._

'_Come here.' He held her upper arms in his hands, turning her to him. She was beautiful._

'…_Is killin' me.' More tears coursed down her face._

'_I think you need a doctor…' He came to a stop, very close to her, so close he could see her real eyes. They were pleading with him to take away the pain. Take away the hurting. They beseeched him; he almost expected her to cry out with her suffering. But she didn't. She stood in his arms, so trusting, he couldn't resist._

_His eyes drifted down to her mouth, her lips slightly parted. Bending a little, he closed the distance between them, taking her lips in a soft kiss. Technically, any contact would do, but he couldn't help it. He might never get a chance to kiss her ever again, and he had to. His hands gently squeezed her upper arms, comforting her. Her eyes sank closed at the contact, as did his. She didn't struggle; in fact she leant into the kiss. He could feel the tears on her cheeks…_

_It wasn't a long kiss, just enough time to collect all her energy, yet he lingered on her mouth. He nuzzled her lips a little, relishing in her sweet softness, then firmly drew back. Trails of golden light left her mouth and eyes, and entered his own. Now he could feel the intense pounding drumming through his whole body. Then dull, mounting pain. It would only take a few minutes. _

_Rose's eyes drifted closed once more and her head came to rest upon his shoulder. He very carefully supported her body until he could place her upon the floor. He stood again and opened his eyes. He could feel the burning radiance behind them. This would not do. He stood facing the TARDIS and sighed. A stream of waving, curling gold escaped his lips and re-entered his TARDIS, and the blue doors swung silently closed. His body convulsed, and he staggered. He bit his lip with the pain. He could still taste her. Bending down, he rested a large hand on her cheek, brushing away her tears with his thumb, caressing her skin. She looked so peaceful. She was safe._

It seemed such a short while ago. In fact, it had been months, and she wasn't safe anymore. Not with him. The Oncoming Storm. That was what they called him. Did he create these tempests, or did they follow him? Track him down. Strike at the ones he loved because it made him weaker. He didn't know. Either way, he could feel a tension in the air, a tightening in his chest that made him afraid.

The Doctor looked at the same patch of wall, his need to see Rose building. Surely she wouldn't still be awake? His head only half decided he walked to the door, stepped out of his room, and quietly closed it again. His eyes were a little blood shot, and he was ashen faced. His hair had defied all attempts at being tamed and stuck up at odd angles, the brown tufts occasionally falling across his forehead or into his eyes. He glanced down the hall to the control room, and hearing the TARDIS' muted murmurs, slipped into the corridor to his left. He saw four doors to his right and one single door to his left. The furthest door was a storage cupboard, one of many, accompanied by another similar door to its right, which contained an alternative life support control, just in case the first blew out. The door next to this was really a bathroom, but he never used that one. The last door on the right was no more spectacular than the others, except Rose had, to his amusement, put up a sign simply reading 'Rose' in red. The door to the left had only one use. It was filled with supplies and extra parts. A cargo hold really, except Rose had taken that over too and had filled it with her little comforts that never ceased to amuse the Doctor. She kept her 'special supplies' (ice cream mainly) and other belongings in there, and since the Doctor began to use a different room for its original purpose, he never told her she couldn't.

He noticed her door was ajar, but no light spilled out onto the metal grating on the corridor's floor. The small blue lamps on the ceiling had been dimmed, and gave little light, but the Doctor didn't mind. He could always see better than most in the dark. He absentmindedly pinched the bridge of his nose to ease the tender skin under his thickly framed glasses and rolled his aching shoulders. He needed to get some sleep, soon. Inching along the hallway, he silently stared into Rose's room.

He had been inside before, just to help her settle in. She had asked him to carry her rucksack in, and he had obliged, but not willingly. He grinned in the darkness. She could be so dominant so times. He didn't mind much.

He saw the blue night lamps were illuminated, and he could faintly see the outline of her face against her pillow, her hair splayed and curling around her shoulders. The clock on her bedside gleamed through the room, and the Doctor could make out the flashing digital display; 3:47. He gently pushed the door open with a hand and edged inside, gazing at her face. The ever constant whisper of the TARDIS seemed to quieten, and he could hear Rose's slow, measured breathing. She was sound asleep. He noticed the leisurely rise and fall of her shoulders and chest from his position near the door and a faint smile played on his lips. The dull nudge of worry for Rose faded, and was replaced by a calm the Doctor only experienced with her. Even asleep she comforted him. He wasn't alone on his ship any more. She had filled the emptiness.

'Oh Rose…' He muttered, raking a hand through his hair. He made his way over to her bedside, telling himself he was checking she was alright, that she was really there. The real truth behind his actions, however, even he couldn't admit.

She was resting on her side, her arm under her head, and then curling round her body. Defensively. Her other arm was placed in front of her, her hand resting on the pillow by her head. The Doctor sighed quietly, and took his thickly framed glasses off for a moment, focusing on the girl once again. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and distractedly laid them down on her bedside table, on top of a curiously titled book. It simply read 'Diary 2006'. The Doctor hesitated. Did he want to know what she had been writing in her diary? It was special to a person, sacred even. He himself never owned one; he didn't have the time to write about his life, but Rose obviously did.

His hand hovered over the binding. The voice in his mind began to whisper again;

_Go on, go on, go on, go on…_

He slowly drew his hand away. Curiosity was a dangerous thing, as he had discovered only too well that day. He wanted to know what Rose had been writing, wanted to know what she felt for him, if anything. But he decided she should be the one to tell him, if she wanted to. He had no right in looking into her diary. He loved her too much to do that.

He breathed out gradually, and glanced back down at Rose's sleeping face. He was so tired. He crouched next to her, put his elbows on the mattress and rested his chin on his folded arms. She mumbled something inaudibly, and her brow furrowed. The Doctor also frowned. What was she dreaming of? He didn't think as he brushed a few strands of her hair from her face, careful not to wake her. His fingers remained on her cheek, and he traced the line of her jaw, then lifted his hand away. She was so warm, so soft. Would she awake if- No, she was too deeply asleep.

Deftly, he stood, his eyes already noticing she was sleeping on only half the bed. Ever so quietly, he shrugged off his pinstriped jacket and laid it at the end of her bed. He wouldn't stay long. Her arms were so perfectly positioned… If he didn't wake her…

He tenderly nudged her over and sat on the mattress. He slipped off his shoes, and turned to see Rose still asleep. Cautiously, he leant back and arranged himself next to her, gently shifting her arms around him, and laying her head on his chest. Her hand rested against his torso lightly. Her solid weight calmed him considerably and he rested his cheek against her hair, his own arms snaking around her shoulders and stroking her back. He hushed her when she moved against him, a soft smile gracing her mouth, and she buried her head in his shoulder, breathing in deeply. The skin along his neck tingled as she breathed out, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. His eyes closed for a moment and swallowed.

_She was safe. She always would be safe. She would, she would, she would…_

He knew he was lying to himself, but he didn't care. That fierce possessive rush encircled him as she sighed happily, and he kissed her temple delicately, whispering her name into the darkness.

She was alive.

'Rose…'

Still unconscious, Rose answered, as if on instinct.

'Doctor.' Her fingers tensed against his shirt, and then relaxed.

He blinked down at her, his eyes burning and smoothed her hair with a careful hand.

He slid into a dreamless sleep, forgetting he shouldn't be there, forgetting where he was and why. He only felt Rose's steady breathing, the rise and fall of her body against his, and her irregular mutters. Meanwhile the TARDIS heaved a great sigh to itself, and for all appearances, fell asleep too. Finally, one by one, the faint blue lights within the room dimmed to nothing, leaving the two in complete, quite darkness.

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I would love it if my reviewers would review again, this way I'll see if you like the new and improved 'Only In My Sleep'. I do so love reviews. As you well know by now, I dance. It's a happy dance of a delighted authoress. You know what I'm talking about people. Be generous. Review?


	2. Chapter 2

I understand how late this installment is (and I can't spell that word...) but I have a good reason. G.C.S.E's . Hitting with full force. I have bearly enough time to read my e-mails and finish coursework. But, I did try to get this updated. Take Me Away might be updated soon, but I'm not sure. please enjoy, and R &R! Cause I love reviews. :D

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Rose was asleep. Very happily, drowsily, rapturously asleep. The warmth of her quilt stole her up, and her toes curled as she sighed her contentment. Consciousness slowly dawned on her, and she recognised the familiar blaring screech of the alarm clock by her head. Her head lifted, strands of wheat gold hair getting in her face. She had to stop the noise! Her hand lunged out, aiming originally for the alarm clock surface. If she pressed that wonderful button she could snooze for the next ten minutes. She grinned at the thought, but her hand did not reach the 'Snooze' button. With a clatter, she dislodged something from the surface of her bedside table. The curious object tumbled onto the floor with a decidedly loud thump. Rose winced. What had she knocked off?

Wiping her mouth of the back of her hand, she parted her curtain of hair and struggled with her coverlet. As luxurious as it was, it had a tendency to want to strangle her if it thought she was trying to get out of bed. She eventually emerged, and hauled the offending material off her body, allowing her to sit up. She glanced warily to the alarm clock, its wailing still echoing through her head. She leant over the mattress, placing her hand firmly on the other side of the bed so she didn't pitch forwards, and shut the damn thing off. Not before noticing the surprising heat radiating from the mattress beneath her palm.

Tentatively she lifted her hand, and looked down at her bed, suspiciously. The slight indent of something, someone, on her bed made her blink in surprise. Who had-

Wait… There was only herself and the Doctor on the ship. No one else could have gotten in. She looked once again at the impression on the bed. The person had been heavier than herself, tall too. She glanced at the door. It was shut… She had left it open last night. Heat crept up her face, and suddenly she was too warm. Her skin tingled and delicious shivers brushed her skin. Had the _Doctor_…? She rearranged herself, pulling her legs from beneath her and dropped her feet down by the side of her bed. Something cold and smooth brushed her toes, and she gasped, her feet automatically pulling away from the ground. Slowly, she peered over the side of the bed to see...

A pair of harmless glasses, thick rimmed with black plastic. She breathed out. The Doctor _had_ been in her room. Somehow that thought calmed her, and she reached to pick them up. The perspex lenses gleamed in the dim light, and she rubbed them on her tank pyjama top. The white material gradually cleaned the lenses, and they shone a little better. Pushing her hair behind her shoulders she regarded the glasses, thinking hard. Did that mean the Doctor had wandered into her room, seen her sleeping and decided…? What? To get into bed with her? She grinned sheepishly. That sounded quite dirty when put like that. But that's what he had done. She pondered for a moment longer, then a thought came to her mind. Carefully she bent forwards and buried her head in her pillow above the indent, and inhaled. The well known scent of soap, sweat, some kind of after shave she presumed, and the underlying smell of the unknown made her mind reel. She smirked without realising. The Doctor had definitely lain next to her last night. She knew his smell. She found it so reassuring it immediately made her smile. All the tension melted away from her body. She rubbed her bare arm, surprised to feel goose bumps along her skin, the fine hairs raised.

…_Doctor._

She blushed, wondering how she could bring this up at breakfast… Should she say anything? Would it be awkward? She finally decided not to mention it to him, unless he mentioned it first, to save him from any… er… embarrassment.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped to her diary next to the clock. He wouldn't… Would he?

Her mind raced. She opened the inconspicuous black book, just lifting the lid with her fingertips as it rested on the table. Her name 'Rose Tyler' was sprawled across the front page along with a few doodles of her in plaits, then a very intense drawing of the Doctor in his old form. She wasn't good at drawing, but she wasn't bad either, and she thought she had captured his ears rather well. She had done it mostly from memory, but that hadn't been hard. She had memorised his face long ago… She swallowed. Had he seen it? It wasn't very flattering now that she looked at it. Oh God. Did he think she disliked his looks? She feverishly picked the book up and flicked to the latest entry;

_Dear Diary – Wait. That sounds a bit… pathetic. Scrub that last bit._

_Dear… Reader? Well who's going to read this, except me? Oh never mind…_

_Okay, I'll just dive in. What a day. To say the least it was bloody scary. How can I put this…? _

_I nearly lost him. I really thought back there that he had left, and he… he wouldn't come find me. I thought… When she had said he had fallen… Never mind what I thought. It's nothing. He can regenerate; he's not in any real danger. Is he? It's not that fact that I might never get home, even though that scares me so much! Never seeing Mum… Oh God. But it's not quite that… It was knowing I would never see _him_ again. I need him. Not like _that. _Still… I'm human, but not like that. I had to know I would see him, hear his voice, feel his hand take mine. I don't think I could get by with out his cheeky grin, no matter how many times I want to hit him when he begins smirking at me when I'm sulking. My Doctor. What would I do without him? …It's so confusing…_

_I know he wouldn't abandon me… But… If he died- No! Never think like that. Ever. I won't ever happen. I wont let it. He's too import- He's too… I wont let him go. Not where I can't follow him. _

_I think I might… No. I can't. It'll pass._

_I'm rambling now… What if HE finds this? How will I explain-_

_Alright… I had to stop writing there; he was asking me if I wanted to go get some chips. If he saw this… Well, it wouldn't be good, let's just say. Actually I could do with some chips now… Hang on a bit._

_Okay, NOW I'm back. If there's grease on the pages it's just my chips… Mmmm, these are gorgeous. They're proper chips. Whatever Mickey says about laying off them, I don't think I could ever do it. Right, where was I? Oh yeah, well, I don't now what happened down on that asteroid. I just know I lost contact with the Doctor, for some reason. He fell… Things weren't going smoothly, what with the Ood trying to kill us all, trapped like rats in the control room. And that face… Furious, evil, talking to us. To me. I heard it… Such hate… I scared me. More than anything I had ever seen before. Because I knew who it was. And I knew what it could do to us._

_It said I was going to die in battle… Soon. I'm going to die? But it couldn't have been true. It was lying to me. The Doctor said… But what if he was wrong?_

_I can't keep writing this stuff. It creeps me out… I have to get some sleep._

_This is Rose Tyler, signin' out. Xxx_

Rose exhaled loudly. If he found this…well, there was no incriminating evidence against her, she supposed. She was safe. But if he had read the other entries…

_Uh-oh…_

Rose had written some… confusing entries, directly after she had seen the Doctor regenerate. That period of time had been challenging for her. Her Doctor had changed; she hoped he would still be the same man, beneath the layers of new skin, bone and muscle. At that moment, when his whole body shook and he doubled over she hadn't understood. She remembered tears coming to her eyes as she saw he was in pain. A strange feeling flashed through her troubled mind, taunting her, beginning to make sense, then baffling her completely. The feeling over came her every time she saw him, growing stronger and stronger over the last few months. It had begun… When? As soon as he had smiled at her? No, that wasn't right, because she distinctly remembered a tightening in her stomach while they were dancing… A flicker in her pulse that warmed her… Months ago. Almost a year now. She remembered the flashing lights of the TARDIS, blue tinged shadows and the silhouette of the Doctor in front of her. Smiling down on her, so close, she could have leaned up and brushed her lips against his. She hadn't wanted to then, but now she thought about it, if put in the same position… She would. He had dipped with her, the hairs of the back of her neck prickling as she felt his hands on her back, lifting her up, keeping her safe. Her hair had brushed the ground, and she had leant her head back, mouth smiling in pure joy, and then that curious feeling rippled through her. It lasted maybe a second, but it left her legs feeling numb. She had stumbled some time after, and Jack had been there to catch her this time, his arms surrounding her. But he never ignited the same twinge of heat. No, something warmer than hot attraction. She'd felt that before. This was… Crueller. Harsher. It left her feeling hurt and confused yet special.

Rose shook her head, her straw coloured locks bouncing off her shoulders a little. Those feelings, whatever they were, couldn't get in the way of their friendship. He obviously didn't feel the same, and what would happen if she blurted them out. If it was just a crush, then she'd look like a fool. If it was something…deeper, the Doctor could send her home. His words 'I don't do domestic' reverberated in her head, and she squeezed her eyes shut, tears pressing the back of her eyes. How could she bear it if he left her? After something like that? No, she dared not risk it. Even though he made her experience strange, unknown, frightening, yet exhilarating emotions, she mustn't allow them to get in the way. She wouldn't lose him again.

He made her feel safe. Protected. Wanted. Appreciated. But there was always that unknown gap, something untouchable about him that puzzled Rose. She could never look him in the eye, have him look directly back at her, and ask him what it was. She never dared. If it was too painful for the Doctor to mention, the gap would grow, separating them eventually. If he hadn't noticed the distance and shrugged it off, that would be so much worse. His smile, his eyes, his thoughts were as precious to her as oxygen. To be separated from them… She shuddered. Like oxygen, she needed him.

Was she taking him for granted too?

She stared at the wall, the feeling of warmth for the Doctor growing as she pictured his face in her mind. This emotion, this suspicious sensation that distracted her when she looked at him, _couldn't_ be…

She looked over at the clock, and saw the display read 8:39. She got up gingerly, breaking her trail of thought, like tracing a hand through smoke, and padded across the room. There was a plain door on the right side of her room, leading onto the bathroom next to her own. She had found having an en suite bathroom most agreeable. She stared bleary eyed at her reflection, wincing as she discovered an odd spot newly formed. She glared at herself in the mirror. She always looked so young without a healthy covering of make-up. She opened the cabinet above her head, and glimpsed the many bottles and tubes of mascara, concealer and lip-gloss. She didn't want to smother her face in that yet, her skin needed to breathe. She shut the cabinet with a sharp snap, and bit her lip, fiddling with the pair of glasses in her hand.

She giggled a little when she slipped them onto the bridge of her nose and over her eyes. The world blurred horribly, and she could only just make out her outline in the mirror in front of her, her eyes frames by dark squares. She pulled them off again, amused. She half-heartedly combed her hair with her hand, but gave up after a while. The blonde tats were making her scalp ache. As if on cue, her stomach groaned, and she looked down at it, giving it an experimental poke. She wondered if it would gurgle if she prodded it, but it didn't. She walked to the door, still twirling the glasses in her hand. She made for the door of her room, and without noticing, bit the end of an arm, lost in thought. She often saw the Doctor do this, and as soon as she realised what she was doing, she lifted it from her mouth and folded them up.

Slipping the glasses into the pocket of her overly large pyjama bottoms, she made her way to the kitchen.

Rogue thoughts tumbled around her head, turning back to the evening before. Running through the TARDIS' doors to find him standing there… That smile tugging at his mouth, his eyes wide, and shining. There were tears in his eyes last night… She didn't know what to say. So she didn't say anything. She just embraced him. She could almost feel his arms crushing her to him, lifting her from the ground. Safe. Safer than she'd ever been. Resting her head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent, her cheek against his neck. Feeling him squeeze her tight as he did the same. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to recapture that feeling. That wave of affection and warmth that surrounded her Doctor.

She opened her eyes. It wasn't like that between them. It could never be like that.

She strolled down the humming corridors, her bare feet feeling the metal grating over the floor as it bit her feet gently. Nibbled it more like, Rose smirked. The TARDIS was becoming increasingly friendly with her as time drew on. A few months ago she had difficulty reaching the _control_ room, and when she had asked the Doctor about it, he had grinned and chuckled. She could almost hear that throaty laugh, rumbling somewhere deep inside the old Doctor's chest. Yes, she missed the other Doctor. She couldn't deny it. She had asked him whether or not the TARDIS hated her, joking at the time, and he had replied the TARDIS needed to 'adjust' to her. Rose had stared at the ship with suspicion, and eyed the Doctor carefully.

'_Are you tellin' me that the TARDIS is… jealous? Is that about right?_' When the Doctor had grinned wider, Rose began to giggle herself and glanced up at the ceiling. The TARDIS had been jealous of her! She had pressed the Doctor for more information, even stepping in front of him to stop him from ambling off at one point. He towered over her, but she turned her face up, her stubborn streak kicking in.

'_Doctor?'_ He had frowned at her and crossed his arms, his lips turned down in a scowl, but his eyes danced. She had been incredibly aware in that moment how close he was, his worn leather jacket brushing her thigh until it tickled. She graciously stepped back, but threw an arm out as he passed.

He smothered a snigger, and turned to her again.

'_Yeah, I suppose when you put it like that it sounds funny, but honestly, it is something like that. She's gotten used to having me all to herself I suppose… She doesn't _dis_like you_.' He had added, seeing the look in Rose's eyes. That had been months and months ago, and now the TARDIS seemed to be sharing.

Rose could certainly find her way around the ship now anyway, after days of just 'exploring', (she had found a _garden_ in the depths of the TARDIS the other day, and before that a whole _room_ filled with what looked like old artefacts), and as she neared the kitchen door, she slowed. She heard… whistling... coming from the open doorway, and she approached with caution. The Doctor didn't whistle.

Sure enough, as she looked into the large, oversized kitchen, she caught sight of her brown-eyed Doctor lounging in a chair by the circular table, apparently spreading marmalade on his toast. Rose breathed out. Marmalade. Why hadn't she thought of it before? He always whistled when he spread marmalade. She smiled shyly as she shuffled into the room, noting he was wearing his full pinstriped suit to the breakfast table, as usual, while she always walked in wearing whatever she had been sleeping in. She didn't mind and neither did he, so the fact went unnoticed most days. The Doctor never changed his attire either, and when Rose jokingly asked whether or not he slept in his suit, he just smiled broadly, that almost flirtatious glint in his eyes, smothered in good natured humour.

Without looking up, he said, a little too loudly;

'Oh, hallo, Rose. Thought you'd be up ages ago.' She stared at him, affection growing as she saw the look of intense concentration on his face as he flavoured his toast. His teeth sunk into his bottom lip as he worked, and Rose followed the action with her gaze. There was a smear of marmalade in the corner of his mouth…

_Stop looking at his lips – Answer him!_ Her mind prompted, and Rose snapped her eyes away, wondering if he had noticed…

'Yeah, mornin' Doctor. I wus jus'…' She paused. Thinking of how attracted I am to you? '… showerin'.' She lied, hoping he didn't suspect-

His eyes left his toast and instantly travelled to her hair.

'Then why,' He looked directly at her face. There was no hiding from that steely cool gaze. 'Is your hair dry?' He wrinkled his nose. ' And unusually greasy?' He looked at her, puzzled, that mischievous smile twisting the corners of his mouth. He licked his thin fingers one at a time, watching her.

Her hands immediately flew to her hair. It was clean.

She eyed the Doctor again, and saw beneath the seriousness in his face, he was laughing at her.

'Oi! Your hair could do with a comb, Marmalade Boy.' She walked over to him, striding across the panelled floor, and made to mock hit him. She reached the table, her hand stretched to ruffle his hair, something she knew he hated.

He grinned, something flashing in his eyes. She knew he couldn't resist a challenge.

'Aw, well, I wouldn't say _that,_ I quite like my hair this time around.' He lifted the rather blunt marmalade covered knife and waved it close to her belly.

'And one step further, you'll be _covered_ in marmalade, Miss Tyler.' He smirked at her outraged expression, and inched the implement closer to her white tank top.

'Doctor, I'm warnin' you-'

The Doctor, conducting the knife as he said each syllable; cut her short;

'Ah, ah, ah, Rose. Think of the large, orange, sticky stain!' He teased, watching her every move.

'Now I have you at my mercy, I think you'd better tell me what you were doing.' He grinned mercilessly at her, his eyebrows quirking.

'Doctor, it's nothin' I jus'-'

'Got lost again?' Supplied the Doctor, his smile stretching. 'I thought the TARDIS and yourself had made some kind of pact?' He shook his head. 'Back to wandering the corridors for hours on end again, are we? Shame.'

'No, I wus,' Rose raised her voice above the Doctor, her mind thinking furiously for _anything_ she could say.

'I wus' thinkin' about… things…' She mumbled, and her eyes left his for a second. That was all it took. The Doctor stood, the marmalade blade forgotten, still in his right hand. Rose looked away again and swallowed. When she looked back, the Doctor had moved closer, so close she was looking directly at his newly shaved neck. She could see each individual pore, the raw skin exposed above the folds of his shirt. He had cut himself shaving… Like he had rushed. She almost reached a hand up and smoothed the tender skin with her palm, but she resisted. Just.

'Rose…?' He said quietly, his hand brushing her chin so she looked up to him. His fingers were slightly sticky with rogue marmalade, and she could smell that well-known, tangy, citrus flavour. She locked eyes with his, and saw his concern, shadowing… Guilt? Why would he be guilty? He looked down on her, eyes blinking occasionally, boring into her. Suddenly, an intense need to hold him rushed through her, but she defied it. Yet the longing to curl into his arms would not go away. What was she thinking?

'Rose.' More insistent this time, and his brow lowered, and he pursed his lips. Rose fought the urge to look down at them, and simply stared at her Doctor. She swallowed and began shaking; very tiny vibrations, but the Doctor noticed them.

'Rose, what's happened?' All worry and fear filled his voice, and he reached to take her hand. It was cold but she immediately weaved her fingers with his own.

'Rose, you can tell me.' Gentler this time, not so authoritive, and his eyes softened. She felt his fingers stroke the back of her hand. Her skin prickled again, and her belly tightened. She knew she couldn't lie to him. He had noticed something was different. She sighed, her shoulders slumped, and she slipped her hand inside the pocket of her pyjama pants. The Doctor also glanced down, confused. As Rose fumbled in her pocket, the waistline slid ever so slightly, and the edge of her underwear became visible. The Doctor stared, then shifted uncomfortably. He should not be thinking like that…

Finally, Rose pulled something from her pocket, something glassy and thick rimmed. The Doctor recognised his glasses, realised where he had left them, and his gaze shot to Rose's face. What did she think of him? His mouth was dry. How could he explain-?

Rose's eyes looked questioning up at the Doctor, hope, the tiniest glimpse of hope flaring in her irises; brown, like his. He saw it, and braced himself. Did that hope in her eyes mean…? He couldn't… Even if she wanted him to… They couldn't- He was imagining things.

_Oh Rose…_

The marmalade knife fell through the Doctor's lifeless fingers as he gazed speechless at Rose. It clanged onto the ground; little flecks of orange peel littering the floor, but neither glanced down to it.

* * *

To my wonderful, loyal reviewers;

LarielRomenie: Are you sure it isn't possible? Good. Cause this fanfiction may just blow your head off, lol. There'll be more fluff soon to come. This fic has been mentioned in one of the Tennant episodes. Cookies to anyone who can guess which one. Dedicated to you!

Starlite1: Thanks! It's always nice to be squeed at. ;)

KatmuEllon: This fic is going to be about 15 -20 chapters long (it depends) and it's going to be a episode long fic, so there's loads of places where this thing will go, believe me. I've not gotten started.

Doc: Glad to oblige, but I was having a bit of trouble uploading this one. G.C.S.E's and all that. I've finished the other chapters, so they're ready to load up in a few days though. I wont abondon this fic. I know! Season 2 - I cried my eyes out.

Saiyamar: Thank you!

leox5000: You want to be my beta! I'm so honoured (no one has ever asked me that before). Want to beta my next chapter? Just e-mail me. I'd love a beta. I understand completely about the coursework (I should be doing Maths and Art too. And Englsih. Shh... Don't tell my parents.)Good to know you've finished Frankenstein (never read it - any good?).

one of the riddles: Cheers!

MYBIGBLUEBOX: Hey there! I thought you'd forgotten me, lol. Nice to see you drop a review in. Don't worry about it. Just happy you reviewed at all. hugs

Please read and review. It makes me so happy. I mean it, it wonderful! I check my MSN and there -bing- is a Review Alert! And I squee as I open it! Then dance. I always dance. Don't I everybody? Family:nods See? Please?


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Doctor Who, or Rose or the referance from an original episode, but I do own this fic, so... Dont' sue. Lawyers scare me. Sorry this took ages too, but as you know, G.C.S.E's call, and my teachers think I have nothing better to do than piles and piles of coursework. .:sigh:. Eep.

So, please read and review, as they will cheer me up a lot. Seriously, I go increadibly happy.

* * *

The metallic shatter reverberated off the walls of the kitchen, breaking the tenseness, and the dull echo faded, leaving the pair in silence once more. The Doctor swallowed. It sounded loud and uncomfortable, even to him, and he cleared his throat. His face fell a little, and Rose opened her mouth to speak, to laugh, to do anything to get him to stop staring so intently at her, she thought he was reading her mind. 

Suddenly, the floor pitched, the whole TARDIS surged, and hurtled through time and space, but not by the Doctor's command. The TARDIS had been pushed. While the small blue box span wildly through whirling tunnels of flame and light and space, the two figures stumbled and fell.

Rose lurched forward, still clutching the Doctor's glasses tightly until her nails dug into the flesh of her palm. Her bare feet staggered slightly, tripping over the Doctor's own, and she plummeted sideways. The Doctor also struggled to stay on his feet, despite being used to the odd turnings of his ship; they still caught him off guard. He pitched closer to Rose, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders on instinct, the other thrown out to catch himself if he fell. Unfortunately, as Rose fell, she grabbed hold of his hand, and held onto it. The Doctor cursed as they went down, not before noticing however, that Rose had buried her head into his shoulder, like last night. The shadow of a smile passed over his face, soon replaced by a grimace as the floor hit them. Unluckily, Rose landed first, and acted as an excellent cushion for the Doctor.

She groaned as he knocked the wind from her stomach and lungs, and poked him sharply. He grinned down at her, but didn't get up.

'D'ya mind? I'm getting' squashed here!' She tried to sit up, but the Doctor firmly pushed her down, a frown on his mouth.

'We get up while the ship's still moving like this, I might squash you again Rose Tyler.' He murmured, but lifted his weight off her body slightly, and leaned on his elbows.

'Now _that's _interesting.' His gruff mutter vibrated through his chest into hers, and she looked up at him.

'What? Wha's intrestin'?'

'The TARDIS. It's changed direction.'

'Oh, an' that's… bad?'

'Could be.' His face wrinkled animatedly as he thought.

Rose was getting steadily more aware of how much heat was washing over her, radiating from the Doctor. He smirked at her, his face barely inches from her own and she breathed out. Her breath stirred stray hairs on his forehead, and he inhaled sharply.

'Does that hurt?' He asked, his face all serious now, no jokes. She thought she saw a flicker of…? Something in his eyes, but he crushed it before she could identify it. She grinned up at him, a mischievous, playful grin that was smothered when he moved again, lifting more weight off her. His chest was no longer compressed against hers, but the lapels of his coat brushed her belly.

'No, I jus'… Could you get off me?' She poked his again, but stopped when annoyance flashed above her.

'Well, I would, but something might fall onto you, and how many lives do you have?' His voice was low, but playful, and she smiled.

'An excuse for everyfin', haven't ya? Jus' don't get any ideas.' She winced a little as the remark hit far too close for home than she'd like. She could feel the ship spiralling out of control underneath her, shooting through time. And here she was pressed onto the floor, the Doctor acting as her shield. She glanced at his arms, each on either side of her head, keeping his weight off her. She breathed out slowly, trying to control her heart beat, and then took another deep breath, cringing when her chest rose too high and grazed the Doctor's upper body faintly. The tension in his arms increased, but his face was carefully trained into a calm expression, even if his lips pursed together a fraction.

'Sorry…' She mumbled, and attempted to smile, but his expression remained cool, and the smile faded, and she bit her lip, unaware that by doing so, she diverted the Doctor's gaze for a split second. His breath was hot against her cheek and she could smell that tangy citrus flavour. He had obviously been sticking his fingers in the marmalade jar again, and licking it off. The image of the Doctor licking his fingers shut her brain up, and the contact between them seemed way too much.

The sound of breaking plates and tinkling cutlery was a welcome distraction for both Rose and the Doctor. The tension in her stomach, and her shallow inhales would have become more and more noticeable. The Doctor's arms were beginning to strain, such was his rigid frame. He dared not touch her again, in case… Well, the Doctor just thanked whatever gods were out there that that situation didn't arise, as his body had dropped a little, and he couldn't help thinking how soft she had been. Or how attractive she looked, her hair tousled, pressed against the iron grating… He stopped that thought right then, before things got out of hand.

A smash broke their eye contact, and Rose heard the Doctor curse quietly in Galifrayian. He dropped a few centimetres over her; his eyes squeezed shut as he did so. Something heavy had fallen close by her head, and she flinched away. She saw the look of near pain flicker in his face as she tried to lean up to move away from the broken appliance, which earned a hiss from the Doctor, his teeth clenched.

'Lie still, Rose.' Barely audible, but she heard the near whisper in her ear, as she had turned her head to look in the direction of the noise. He didn't mention the fact that her body had shifted against his, or the fact that he had liked it. With a sigh she lay down again, her arm freeing itself and curling round the back of her head, acting like a pillow.

'This gonna stop any time soon-' She was cut off as the sound of dying engines reached her. The TARDIS heaved one last time, making the Doctor sway over her, then stilled.

'We've stopped…' There was a definite strain in his voice now. 'We're here.'

'An' where's tha'?'

'Exactly.' His childish grin shone down on her, and she couldn't help lighting up too.

The Doctor stayed over her a few seconds more than necessary, but Rose didn't mention it. She felt him slide off her and roll onto his back beside her, taking his heat with him. She heard the faint crunch of glass as he did this and realised he had rolled onto broken glass. She lifted herself, very slowly, and looked down on him, worry in her eyes. His eyes were closed and his mouth hung slightly open.

'Are you alright?' She giggled as he opened an eye, one corner of his mouth hitching upwards.

'I think I rolled onto the marmalade.' He breathed, the rumbling in his throat reminding her of her old Doctor.

This made her giggle harder, and she got to her feet. The mess all over the kitchen floor was chaotic. Riots of smashed plates and jars littered the ground, interspersed with the odd kitchen utensil, having flown off the hooks on the wall. The Doctor had rolled under the table to escape the glass and marmalade, and he too stood up eventually.

The look of horror on his face was almost comical.

'We have to clean all this up, you know.' He glanced at Rose next to him, and she laughed out loud, the pressure of moments before melting. He chuckled, his hand sought hers and he squeezed it, a little too strongly.

'You okay?' He looked down on her, his usual smirk back on his face, filled with boyish glee.

'Yeah, fine, a bit flattened though, how 'bout you? Anyfin' fall on ya?'

'I'll survive. You make a fantastic cushion, you know that?' He wrinkled his nose when she pulled a face, and he rubbed the back of her hand with his own.

He turned to lead her out of the kitchen, but halted when she erupted in uncontrollable sniggers. He raised his eyebrows at her, silently asking her to explain herself. She couldn't speak for laughing, so she merely pointed a shaking hand to his back. He turned, his neck craning to get a better look, but it was no use. Finally Rose stifled her giggles, and choked out;

'C'mere.' She tugged off his jacket and turned it to the back, showing the Doctor the sticky stain that covered his back.

'An' you said I'd be covered in the stuff!' She beamed at him. He just shook his head, an undeniable curve to his lips, and he looked over his shoulder to see his entire jar of 'Frank Copper's Oxford Marmalade' smeared over the kitchen floor.

He groaned out loud.

'That was my last _jar_!' The childish distress in his voice was nothing compared to his pouting face. He span to Rose, who was again lost in her laughter and scowled. He strode out of the kitchen, his shoes scattering the chips of glass. She laid the sticky jacket down on the table, biting her lip at the sight of the kitchen, then turned to follow.

'Oi, 'scuse me! Wait a sec, yeah?' Rose called, as she tried to pick her way through the glass labyrinth, aware she could cut her feet to pieces at this rate. She had reached the doorway before the Doctor could help her, and brushed herself off.

'Right then! Where are we?' She looked up expectantly. The Doctor reached down to tug a strand of her hair, pulling it teasingly.

'Oh, dunno.' He flashed her another grin.

'Let's find out shall we. C'mon.' Without letting Rose inform him she was still in her night clothes he pulled her along, through the winding corridors, somehow picking up his trench coat along the way, until they arrived in the consol room. The Doctor peered at a screen, the lines in the corners of his eyes standing out in the blue green light. He gave a satisfied sigh, flicked a switch, and his eyebrows shot up.

'Well, that _is _interesting…' He murmured, and absent-mindedly stroked the TARDIS column. He looked over his shoulder to see Rose perched directly behind him, squinting down at the screen. She could make sense of the curving letters and symbols; she just couldn't say exactly what they said or how she knew. She just knew the Doctor was apart of it, and that she didn't mind at all. Not any more.

He smiled at her, watching her eyes dart across the screen, her eyebrows raised in confusion. He could see her trying to work out the symbols, knew she couldn't. Not yet. But soon though. She hadn't had training, didn't quite understand how to talk to the TARDIS. It had surprised him that Captain Jack could, but he was a fellow Time-traveller, so he supposed he must have picked it up somewhere. Rose was clever though. She'd pick it up soon.

She blinked finally, shaking her head, and meeting his eyes.

'Anything?' He asked, knowing she wasn't ready.

'Almost. It's almost there.' She bit her lip and frowned. 'Still, I've got plenty of time.' She smirked at her Doctor, and finally asked the question he had been waiting for.

'So, when are we?'

' It's exactly... ' He looked at a circular symbol on the screen, blinked, and tapped the disk with his finger. A line shifted, and he beamed. '206Beta/K.'

'An' is that excitin'? Any evil alien wars we 'ave to prevent, anyfin'... dangerous?' She looked hopefully up at him.

'I dunno.' Hegrinned cheerily at her. 'Wanna take a look.' He gestured to the door. 'S'all there waiting.'

'Er, Doctor. Aren't you forgettin' somefin'? She gestured to her outfit, consisting of a white tank top, and a pair of overly large pyjama pants, lightly striped with thin pink lines running from toe to hip. Her bare feet were cold and painful on the metal grating. Not to mention she had marmalade on her cheek, somehow acquired over the last few minutes.

The Doctor leaned forward, swept her cheek with his thumb, collecting the sticky orange spread and licked it off his thumb, smiling while he did so. He studied what she was wearing closely, mentally scolding himself for lingering on her exposed stomach.

'Nah, you'll be alright. Height of the Fregian Empire, they were running round in pyjamas like the rest of 'em.' He squinted at her, and snickered softly.

'Oh, here.' She opened her hand and passed him his glasses, still safely cradled in her hand. 'You'll be needin' these, right?' She handed the thick-rimmed spectacles and winked at him. 'Can't 'av you squintin' round the Fregian Empire, can we?' He slipped them into his pocket, and held out his hand.

'Off we go.' He gestured to the door, and she shook her head cheekily.

'Let's see you go outta there in your PJ's then, hmm?' She teased him, her eyebrow lifting.

'I'll have you know, Rose Tyler; I saved the Earth wearing pyjamas! Not my own, I might add. Besides, the amount of time you take getting dressed every morning, I'm surprised you have time to help save the world with me. And another thing…'

The Doctor smirked, and proclaimed, rather too proudly; 'How do you know I don't sleep in the nude?' He intoned, being careful to keep his voice light, and his smile cheery.

'Takin' a leaf outta Jack's book, are we?' She gasped, giggles welling up inside her.

The Doctor paled. 'Rose.' He said dangerously, even though growled was closer to the truth. 'I thought we talked about this. That was a very… unfortunate experience. For _both_ of us.' He tried to keep his face straight, but failed. She was beyond hope.

'Well, you didn' have to go stumblin' in on 'im, did ya? It wus hardly his fault!' She could no longer look him in the eyes, as her own had misted over with tears of laughter.

'He was sleeping _on top_ of his sheets! How was that _my _fault?'

'Yeah, well yeh didn't have to scream. That was jus' cruel!' She was sniggering hysterically now. She almost doubled over.

'Aw, well, so would you! Besides, he leapt… what… two feet in the air. You should have seen him, Rose. Actually, never mind that. Best you didn't experience that sight.'

'Oh, it must've been _terrible_!' She began to gain some control, and hiccupped.

He slid his hands in the pockets of his trousers, and went to his default setting; grinning broadly.

'So, Rose Tyler. Shall we?' He offered her his arm, and she bit her tongue as she smiled, cheekily half sticking it out at him as she slipped her arm through his. Her hands gripped his upper arm gently, and she nestled her cheek on his shoulder.

'I s'ppose. Not everyone can say they've been to an alien planet in their PJ's, right?' She suddenly looked up at him. ' Wait... you kinda have.'He chuckled and leaned closer to her ear.

'I get double points. They weren't mine.' She laughed happily, but wasn't completely satisfied.

'Fine. I do this, you have to go out in _your_ PJ's some other time, okay?'

He ponder this for a moment. '_I..._ Have to...' He looked down at himself, apparently hesitanting for some reason. Then he looked back at her, and something in him gave way. She was impossible most of the time, especially moments like this. He couldn't win, and she knew it.

'Oh, all right then. But don't make a habit out of it. I have a reputation... Sort of, to up hold.' She bounced on the balls of her feet and giggled to herself.

'Let's make it official then? I dont want you backing out last minute.' She held out a hand. 'Deal?'

He took her hand and shook it very formally, but pulled her closer into a friendly hug.

'Deal.'

She snuggled closer, and the Doctor felt that familiar twinge in the back of his mind. Her cheek was meant to lie there, as were her arms meant to hold him. Unbidden, his hand brushed hers, and she immediately took it. The same feeling of safety weighed down on him. He knew she wasn't safe with him, knew he was no more safe than an impending storm, but he didn't care. Right now all he cared about was the warmth of her hand in his, the light mass of her head on his shoulder, and the quiet inhale and exhale of her lungs.

They strolled leisurely toward the door of the TARDIS, and it swung open. Golden light spilled into the console room floor, illuminating a pair of converse shoes and two bare feet, the toes curling slightly. Rose's small gasp of wonder went unnoticed as a wave of sound hit them, drowning out everything else.

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Reviewers! Loff! 

**BelleEve**: The Corrs work too! I love the Corrs. Anywaym here's the chapter, dedicated to you! .:hugs:. It'll never happen, no... .:Sob:. BUT! I have 4 new episode long fics soon on the way, so it's almost as good as having Doctor and Rose back. Almost, but not quite. Still, I hope it helps, lol. Thanks about the Diary thing. I wasn't sure if I had gotten her just right, but apparently I did, so thanks again.

E-mails! .:Runs off to answer them:.

**LarielRomeniel**: Yep, it's in another episode, and let's just say the episode has something to do with Jackie. And the Doctor does something so adorable in it, right near the beginning. Okay, no more clues. You'll know which one soon though. Cyber cookies to anyone who can tell me which Episode it's in though. Lol. Thanks for your review, as always.

**leox5000**: Candyfloss huh? Well that's no bad thing (yummy, I love the stuff). I'm really glad you like the chapters. And I've got to evaluate Jane Eyre in school. It's really good cuase I just have another reason to watch the new Jane Eyre series every Sunday (reason 1. It rocks) I love Jane Eyre... Okay, I'm babbling now.

**Doc**: Thank you! .:hugs:. Yeah, thats the main reason I write these episode long fics. I want more Doctor/Rose! And I think the series should have been longer... It's such a shame Rose is gone. I hate it... Anywho, more fics soon, I just need to find time to write them.

**MYBIGBLUEBOX**: Aww, poor stolen computer! Well, it's back for good now right? Good. I'm glad you like this chapter, more soon on the way. Damn G.C.S.E's...


	4. Chapter 4

Eep! G.C.S.E's .:runs and hides:. They scare me, Still, I always have my own world to dive into to forget out the pangs of reality... How _EMO_ am I? .:g:. Anway, back to the point. Pure fluff, as always, I own almost nothing (Trin is mine, and most of the planet. And the alarm clock) as in, Rose and the Doctor are not mine etc. No infringement (I _REALLY_ can't spell) intended and all that, yadda yadda yadda... Here's the chapter. Read and Review! Please?

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A gust of dusty air blew into the TARDIS, stinging their eyes, whipping Rose's hair across her face in limp strands. Then the sound flooded in, the roar of a turbulent crowd, snatches of conversation, screams, wails, and the great bellowing of the street vendors. As the pair grew accustomed to the blaring light, they looked, bleary eyed, at the scene before them. The colours, the smells, the sounds all charged at them, jostling for attention. 

Rose let go of the Doctor's arm, shifting closer to the entrance of the TARDIS. This was unbelievable. A jumble of square, short buildings squatted, side-by-side, greedily stealing each other's space as, Rose could only presume, customers haggled loudly with shopkeepers and each other. They zigzagged through pathways between the blocks, calling out to friendly passers-by and gesturing toward favourite shops. The shops themselves held amazing, strange, other worldly items, each stacked precariously on top of masses of old stock. The structures were angular, had squat shanty roofs, and had glistening lights pitted in each alcove. Little windows set into the alcoves showed screens, brightly coloured and humming. Small boards were stood next to items, with curious numbers and letters set onto more flat monitors. Rose stepped further onto the street, and didn't notice the dirt and dust on her bare feet. The Doctor held back, allowing Rose to glimpse another world. He always did this, but held onto her hand while he did so, letting her know she wasn't completely alone in these odd, alien places. Not this time, though. This time she had stepped out of the TARDIS on her own. Delved into the unknown headfirst.

The Doctor grinned, and strode to her side, gently bumping his shoulder against hers deliberately. She looked up at him distractedly; reflecting his smile, wonder filling her eyes. He never grew bored of Rose's reactions to the new and wonderful. Never. They took his breath away, and left him to gaze at her face in similar awe.

She broke their eye contact to drink in more of their surroundings. She noticed the people now, some human, some crossbred, and others completely random and fantastically strange. A couple walked past, their legs bent backwards like a horse's, hooves hitting the ground, yet the upper body was human, except for the sweep of the brow. Their eyes were thin and long, stretching towards the ears, and the brow was heavy, like they were constantly frowning. However, they both chattered happily as they passed, showing no signs of anger.

'Yea', I says to 'im, yoo can't jist pay wit yoo're ticket. It don't work atta way, but 'e jist…' The voice faded as they walked on, leaving Rose staring after them.

'Quadder's finest! Come buy some genuine Quadder stones, only 5 seltens apiece. Most handy around the home, I assure you. Now, who'll buy some genuine Quadder stones?'

A spindly man, wedged between his shop and the bulk of another leered at Rose, and winked with his one good eye. His other was milky and pale. He seemed human, except when he turned around to argue with a different alien, his long curled tail fell to the floor, its green scales glinting in the afternoon sun. Rose glanced up at the sky, still blue, but filled with two suns, instead of Earth's one. She looked to the Doctor who was watching her intently, and he pointed to the larger of the two suns.

'That one, if I'm very much mistaken, is Caaprious, brother star of Protiuos…' He shifted closer to her and pointed to the other. He smirked at Rose. He knew she didn't want to learn about astronomy when she had a whole other city to investigate. The sheer size and sounds of the market weighed heavy upon Rose, and she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The smell of dust, some kind of roasting meat, and sweat made her grimace, and she sniffed, trying to stop herself from sneezing. The clamouring clank of cooking pots, the yammer of the hagglers, and the overall roar of the place did nothing to steady her, but she grew used to it.

She felt somewhat out of place in this bustling city, especially in her sleepwear, and she tugged nervously at her tank top, squinting through the haze. All kinds of life, bizarre, beautiful and most of all colourful, swam in front of her eyes. She caught sight of what looked-like a fish person, somewhere between mermaid and shark, as she swept past, and the distinct salty fragrance of the sea washed over them both.

'Fancy some chips?' Rose grinned wickedly up at the Doctor, who in turn snickered and tapped her nose.

'Enough cheek from you, Miss Tyler. But speaking of food…' He dug deep in a pocket of his long coat, his brow creased in concentration. Finding nothing, he began to tap himself down, rummaging through the material. Rose turned to watch him, and within moments he pulled out a tiny, flat, container. The squared corners fit into his palm, and he took Rose's hand in his, leading it face up until it covered the rectangular hole at the base of the container. The Doctor pushed the two sides together, and the square clicked. A small light green chip of what looked like plastic fell into Rose's hand, and she gasped. She examined the chip, and squinted at the wording on the edge of the tiny object.

'… 200 seltans? How much is that in real, erm… English money?' Rose corrected herself, as she was sure she'd receive a lecture about the big headedness of her kind.

'Ohh…'bout…' He paused. He wasn't sure how to put this. '…Three thousand quid.' He winked at her, and grinned. She hit him affectionately, and he wrinkled his nose.

'Fine, about 20 quid.' He rubbed his arm as he began walking towards a stall, the square 'wallet' still in his hand.

'C'mon Rose.'

Rose shrugged and followed, the minuscule money safely between her palm and her fingers. The Doctor strode up to a lime green booth, its canvas awning flapping in the breeze, and began examining what Rose could only identify as a menu. The same brightly coloured screens were spaced along the metal front of the stand, and images of foreign food flashed backwards and forwards across it. The Doctor's eyes were darting left and right, obviously reading the text. Rose shuffled next to him, and gently prodded his shoulder. He obliged and moved up, so she could view the menu too.

'Doctor?' She whispered, eying the customers at other alcoves like theirs.

'Hmm?' He didn't look up.

'Wha's a… tangenian delp fruit? An' why's it 'smothered in cha-su sauce'?' Rose pronounced each alien word very badly, but the Doctor eventually understood what she was talking about. He hitched an eyebrow at the price, and chuckled.

'You'll find out, but not here. They're taking us for a ride.' He gestured to the booth, and reached out a hand to Rose. He wiggled his fingers, and Rose slipped her hand into his.

'Ridiculously over priced! ' He continued, noting her puzzled expression. 'Come with me. I know where to get proper food.'

As always, when visiting a strange alien world, Rose felt completely lost and sometimes alone. The Doctor helped her understand new things that would never have occurred to her, and more and more, she was beginning to appreciate how intricate and detailed his knowledge of alien cultures was. She wondered as they strolled past hundreds of shops, how long he had been travelling. He must have seen so much, done so much… Known so many people…loved so many people.

She unconsciously squeezed his hand tighter, and the Doctor looked down at his companion, shocked to see her eyes unusually moist. They glinted in the light, and he stroked her thumb with his. Sometimes she would be so far away from him. He knew she wasn't thinking about where they were, she was thinking about something else. He could always tell when she was having troubling thoughts, and more than once he had stood in the doorway of her room. He would hear her cry out in her sleep, and knew what she was dreaming of. He had the same dreams.

She blinked. She hadn't realised they had walked so far. The fancy-looking booths had turned into squat stands again, but filled with oddly shaped fruits and vegetables. Great stacks of silver crates were crammed together, built up on top of one another. The Doctor had stopped looking where they were going long ago. He was letting Rose guide them now, hoping it would bring her back to the present. She blinked again. They had stopped.

To her left she saw a light blue building, small and short, with a flashing screen full of alien lettering. Slowly, she edged closer, and eventually the words began to form understanding at the back of her mind. Strange shaped figures curled into numbers, flickering until the screen read 'Organic Delp Fruit: From Rocta and Tangenia.' She gasped. Tangenian Delp Fruit! She glanced at the crates and paused in surprise. Waxy, long pods, slightly purple around the stalk and seam, were glistening back at her. They were mossy green, and looked quite heavy, about the size of her lower arm. They gave off a unique flavour, somewhere between dense plant sap and the light summery smell of peas. She cautiously reached out a hand and prodded one. The Doctor chuckled and pointed to a harassed looking woman behind the crates, who eyed Rose suspiciously.

'Oh, erm…' She glanced at the Doctor quickly, who nodded, still smirking, and added, 'One tangenian delp fruit, please.' She grinned at the woman.

'That'll be…' She looked at Rose carefully, then said,'10 seltans.' The Doctor clamped a hand over Rose's as she went to give the money to the shopkeeper, his brow creased.

'Hang on.' He murmured, and turned to the lady. She was smiling sickeningly at him, through her red hair. It was pulled back with a green headscarf, and she appeared to be human, except for her distinctly coloured eyes. They were purple, and seemed to looking the Doctor over with an impressed eye. Rose felt her skin crawl, and she didn't realise as she tightened her hand around his. She supposed the woman was in her late twenties, but she couldn't be sure. Rose didn't like the way she was looking at the Doctor, and that was enough for her to be guarded against her.

'Did you say ten? For a delp? Nah, you must be kidding. We're not tourists, so you can sell it to us for the real price or not at all.' He ducked his head to Rose and winked when the shopkeeper turned pale pink.

She coughed a little, her smile wavering, but it was soon replaced by a pout. 'Well, you do drive a hard bargain, but…since my master ain't around, I'll sell it for…six seltans.' She giggled cheekily, and made the mistake of looking at Rose. She was staring darkly back at her.

'What do you say to five?' He grinned at the woman, and Rose's stomach constricted.

_I'm not jealous… I'm not; I'm not; I'm-_

'Fine… A handsome guy like you, how can I say no?' She handed over the delp, and got them some change. Meanwhile, Rose almost wretched. It felt like someone had punched her in the belly. She couldn't breathe. Was he flirting with her?

_Little slut…_

'The name's Trin by the way.' She called over her shoulder, and she turned around to hand over the multicoloured chips to the Doctor. 'And here you go, Mr…?'

'Just the Doctor. Oh, and this is Rose.' He indicated to Rose as if he had forgotten about her, and took the delp from Trin. She didn't even glance her way; she was still staring intensely at the Doctor.

'You'll be one of those Inspectors then?' She inquired; blinking her eyes in what she obviously thought was a flirtatious manner.

The Doctor paused, just for a moment, the said; 'Yeah, that's right. Just taking a break, you know, work, work, work.' He leaned forwards, effectively blocking Rose from the conversation.

'Well, must be so stressful. What with the rebellion and all. Got your work cut out for you.' She leaned against a crate, fingering a lock of hair that had fallen out of the head scarf.

'Oh, yeah, the Rebellion. Terrible, don't you think?'

'Terrible?' She seemed to be about to say something, then stopped.

'Are you sure you're an Inspector? Where's your badge? Where's your markings?'

The Doctor stared at her, the words dying in his throat. Then he seemed to jump to life, and scrambled in his pocket. He produced a scrape of paper in a plastic wallet, and thrust it at her, his thumb ever so slightly over his 'first name'.

She blinked and peered closer, but her wiped it away again.

'I see. In that case, sorry to have asked, it's just you look at bit… strange. Where are your markings?'

'My what?'

'On your skin. They have… markings. A burning sphere. Where is it? It's usually on the throat…' She gazed at his collar, and gestured to her own neck.

'Oh, my _markings_. They're, erm, on my back. Something of a mix up back at the…'

'Institute?'

'Institute, yes.' He nodded, and the doubt that had been clouding the woman's face evaporated.

'Well, nice to meet you Doctor… I'm sorry, I didn't catch your first name…'

'Just call me the Doctor.' He grinned, and winked at her. She blushed again.1

'Doctor. I hope we meet again soon.'

Rose just stood thee, feeling stupid as the two said their goodbyes. He walked back to the square and sat down on one of the carved benches, smiling to himself. He didn't even check she was following. She felt her anger well up within her, but quelled it. She shouldn't be getting jealous…She was just the Doctor's friend. _Nothing_ else.

That stung, and Rose wiped her eyes with the back of a hand as she went to sit next to him.

The paved square was free of booths, but had blankets laid out on the ground around the edges, and crafts men and women sat, gesturing to their wares at passers by. Some were even approaching customers and pressing their belongings on them, demanding money. Rose dodged such a man and sat down next to the Doctor with a gusty sigh.

'Makin' friends with the locals then?' The question was supposed to come out casual, but the edge of it sang with bitterness. It caused the Doctor to look up from his work. He had been trying to break into the pod with his sonic screwdriver, but no setting seemed to work. The dull buzz of the machine and its flickering blue light distracted her for a second, but she caught the Doctor's frowning face and had the decency to blush.

'Wat I meant is…well done. Nice hagglin'.' She smiled, but it was false. She hoped the Doctor didn't notice. Apparently he didn't, as he mirrored her own smile with a huge grin of his own.

'Oh yeah, master haggler me. Now, if I could just get this open…' A faint whirr later, a dark crack appeared on the surface of the fruit, and the Doctor attacked it with child-like glee. Rose smirked for real this time as orange juice dribbled down the side of the waxy fruit and stained the Doctor's coat. He didn't seem to mind as he snapped the pod in half, giving the bigger piece to Rose. She examined the inside, apprehension creeping in.

A brilliant orange glow erupted from the juicy flesh of the fruit, and Rose gasped in delight. A delicious smell, fresh and sweet, emitted from it, and she hesitantly stuck her finger in the golden goo. She cautiously licked the syrup like substance, then her eyes lit up, and she sucked the whole lot off her finger. It was heavenly. Her eyes fluttered closed and she grinned.

'Now, that _is_ gorgeous.' She breathed, eyes still closed.

The Doctor had been watching all this time, enjoying her reaction. Her saw her childish happiness, and the familiar twinge of affection built in his chest.

_She's a little bit perfect…_He thought to himself, as he watched those eyes close. He grimaced when he thought of that shopkeeper, Trin, but he had learned from experience you keep your caterers on your good side if you wanted quality. And apparently Trin had delivered. The only reason he had flirted back was so Rose would get _the _best delp in the market. It was worth it just to see this, her enjoyment.

Rose on the other hand, really was in heaven. Sugary, syrupy goo filled her mouth. It tasted like summer should, like hot suns and distant shores. Like light would taste, if you could take carve a piece of the sun and dip it in honey. Oh, it was wonderful. She hummed quietly, toes curling, and swallowed. It felt like cream and sunshine pouring down her throat, and she licked her lips.

She opened her eyes and met the Doctor's brown ones, amusement crinkling the corners. She blushed again, and busied herself with scooping another fingerful, her cheeks suddenly hot. Why was he watching her?

'Like it?' He chuckled and ate some himself. Now it was his turn to grin. Rose peered through her golden curtain to see the Doctor slurp the stuff off his hand and smothered a giggle at his response. She raised a hand to brush a few strands of brown hair from his face, but stopped herself. She snatched her hand back.

_What am I thinking…?_

She gazed at his face, and smiled softly. He swallowed, and his mouth hung open for a moment, tasting the air without realising. He too sighed, and opened his eyes. He beamed at her, but couldn't hide the faint pink shade to his cheeks.

_He's blushing!_

'Oh, that was really…' He met her eyes. 'Fantastic!' A flicker of her old Doctor made her heart beat faster. She dropped her eyes and plunged one more finger into the fruit, the sticky juice running off her hand. She tried to trace it with her tongue, not noticing he was still watching her. She stopped and looked up at him, her tongue stuck out licking her arm, her hand in the air. She knew she looked ridiculous.

She burst into laughter at the exact same time he did, and they chortled for some time, both lost to the helpless giggles within them. They erupted into fits of hysteria once more, when Rose flicked some juice at him, but missed and hit an innocent passer by. The stranger stared at them with shocked resentment, and they gave up trying to hide their laughter. They were lost for a good five minutes after that.

But Rose's mind kept going back to that split second right before he had started laughing… There was something… Something different in his eyes. Right when she had caught him looking. Something she could almost identify. Something she never expected to see in his eyes, not when he was looking at her. Awe... and something deeper.

The Doctor was also thinking, about that second Rose's eyes had flickered shut, that image was burned to his eyes, and he couldn't shake it from his mind. And… he didn't want to. She looked so vulnerable, so pure. It awoke feelings in him he shouldn't have, feelings he had thought had died in him a long time ago. Apparently, they hadn't...

They eventually finished laughing, ate the rest of their fruit, both waiting for the other to look away before watching them, and discarded the empty pods into what Rose could only think was a bin of some kind. It flipped from the ground and swallowed the pods whole, then disappeared again.

'Hands out, Rose.' The Doctor came to stand directly in front of her, taking her left hand in his, he flicked a switch on his sonic screwdriver, and the blue bulb warbled gently. Cyan light filled her palm, and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. The faintly sticky juice melted away as the screwdriver hovered above the stains on her skin.

He fingers were soft against the back of hers, and she could almost feel his pounding pulse in his wrist. He cleaned her other hand and slid the screwdriver back into his coat.

'Come on Rose, we're not finished yet. More to see, and more to do!' He wrinkled his nose when Rose asked what next.

'Let's see, shall we?'

Rose though it was about _then_ that things started to go wrong. Very wrong. And it started with a single word…

Bargain.

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Reviewers! 

**BelleEve:** My first reviewer! .:dedicates:. 'Yeah, well yeh didn't have to scream. That was jus' cruel!' Jack luff! Yeah, I did see that with John Barrowman and How Do You Solve A Problem Life Maria! And Aifea(?) had him by the throat! Oh, and Connioe wasted NO time, did she? Just stuck right in there... (is teh way jealous) He's going to be the leading male role in the Sound Of Music? Wooop! Veeeeerry good casting...

Okay, I'll try and stop doing the whole capital letters thing when people talk. I haven't checked this chapter (is lazy) but I'll check the others, I promise.

**Doc**:- Thank you! .:hugs:. I'm glad you liked their relationship - By the way, I might do a little epilogue at the end of this fic where the Doctor and Rose go out in their sleep wear to another planet - chaos ensues etc. What do you think?

**Thursday Next** :- Nah, it's too easy if it was finished! I mean, I like little fics like that, but I have a big plot tucked somewhere away in my brain. The only problem is finding it...lol

**Opal Fruits:- **Yeah, Rose's accent can be off putting, but I'm going to keep it in, cause it just lets you know it's _Rose_ talking. She has a way of talking and of putting things that I think is key to the relationship she has with the Doctor, and I need it in for another chapter.

**MYBIGBLUEBOX**:- Glad to hear your compi is all better, and back with you, lol. I hate these exams! They're killing me, I swear they are. Listen, I barely have time to put up some of my work, and I know I said I'd beta for you, but I really don't have any time left. Plus, I've never watched CSI, so I don't think I'd be very good at it. I'm really sorry for not getting back to you, my computer kinda flipped out. I hope your not too mad at me:.hugs:.

**biggreenflyingbox**:- Well, at the moment, it's a choice between doing my english coursework and writing fanfiction. While I'm ill, so bare in mind, fanfiction is usually better when I'm ill, not so for my coursework, lol. So fanfiction it is!

**rabid-x-llamas**:- Well, if you like this, you'll like the other episode long fics I'll be writing when I've finished writing this. Oh, and there'll be a couple of one-shots comng up soon (maybe even this weekend, it depends) so check out my profile for more info!

**one of the riddles**:- Thank you! Glad you like it!

**leox5000**:- .:hugs:. Don't worry about it, I have a distraction for you! points upwards Oh, and you could watch series 2 (and one, cause Chris Eccleston is just brilliant) and try to find out where this fic comes from (hint: Look out for Bazulium!) Okay, I;ve given it away now.. Oh well...

READ AND REVIEW!


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